Mechanical system for a flying toy



July 24, 1956 H. WEIL 2,755,596

MECHANICAL SYSTEM FOR A FLYING TOY Filed April 14, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. H. WElL MECHANICAL SYSTEM FOR A FLYING TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 24, 1956 Filed April 14, 1953 United States Patent 2,755,596 MECHANICAL SYSTEM FOR A FLYING TOY Hans Hermann Wei], Stockholm, Sweden Application April 14, 1953, Serial No. 348,729 4 Claims. (Cl. 46-75) This invention relates to a mechanical system for a flying auto or a similar toy.

This invention is characterized by a jumping mechanism and a flying mechanism, coupled to a mechanical motor device having wheels constituting an assembly which can be switched from a wheeling arrangement adapted to jumping, to an arrangement for flying, by means of a clutch thereby alternating the functions of the wheels with the function of the propeller.

The jumping mechanism takes the shape of an X formed by two articulate levers, driven by a sufficiently strong spring; the lower ends of these levers are near the ground.

The motor is carried by wheels, of which two are driving wheels which are coupled to the mechanism of the clockwork or connected thereto by a type of transmission.

The flying mechanism consists of a propeller whose axis is vertical or approximately vertical; it is equipped with a clutch connecting it with the described clockwork mechanism as soon as the jumping mechanism has been released.

Practically speaking, this flying mechanism has no other purpose than to delay the falling down, thereby giving the illusion of flying; therefore, after a jump, a smooth landing or setting down on the ground is achieved.

Thus organized, the apparatus is able to simulate the overcoming of unsurmountable obstacles as, by means of a flexible control cable, its operation and direction can be manipulated.

In order to facilitate the explanation, two sheets of drawings have been attached in which a type of execution has been illustrated which, however, is only oflfered as an example.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the mechanism of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism without the propellor means.

It consists of a chassis of any form and organization, on which the motor 1 has been mounted, which can have a clockwork mechanism of one or another type which is connected with the driving wheels 2; the wheels 3 are the steering wheels.

A rotating shaft 4 ending in an elongated pinion 5, provides for the rotation of axle or shaft 6. This axle 6 is rotatably mounted on the joint axle 8 of connecting rods 9. The rods 9 are driven by the jumping X 10 which in turn are pivotally mounted to each other and to the chassis at 11. The legs of the X are pulled toward the vertical position by spring 12. The lower extremities of the X device 10 are slightly convex as shown in order to give a sliding eflfect against the floor when spring 12 operates to produce the jump.

The upper end of axle 6 contains a cone clutch device 13 adapted to couple with a conical indentation 14 in the lower portion of propeller shaft 16. Propeller 15 is fixed to shaft 16 and may be made of any suitable material. Shaft 16 is rotatably mounted in the casing 17 of the device, only a portion of which is shown, through bearing means.

One of the levers of the X 10 connects with a catch 18 which is in contact with the extremity 19 of a control cable 20, operated by the push button 21.

The operation is as follows:

In the apparatus illustrated, for example, the device carried on wheels 2, 3 is adapted to move as any wheeled i9atentecl July 24 1956 ice toy, for example an automobile. The clockwork mecha nism 1 operates the driving wheels 2 so that the device runs along a certain course.

When a real or imaginary obstacle is met the push button 21 of cable 20 is operated to tilt the fastener 13 and release the X device which closes quickly due to the contraction of spring 12 and makes the apparatus jump.

The contraction of the spring 12, which closes the X device, thereby effects the axial translation of the axle 6, which translation is accompanied by the axial sliding of the pinion 7 on the toothing of the pinion 5, advancing the clutch cone 13 into contact with the counter-cone of the propeller which begins to rotate. The rotation of the propeller conveys the illusion that the device is flying and also proivdes for the easy and smooth grounding of the device.

The casing of the apparatus can having any form desired and can take the shape of automobiles and figures, always retaining the essential characteristic of combining jumping with a propeller to smooth the descent.

Retaining the characteristics of the model, it can be made in other forms of execution which differ in their details from those given in the example, but are to be included in the protection applied for. In other words, it can be constructed in any form and size, using any suitable materials for this purpose, as the spirit of the invention includes all these cases.

I claim:

1. In a wheeled toy device adapted to produce the illusion of flying the combination comprising, a chassis, a plurality of wheels for said device for supporting the same, a motor on said chassis operatively connected to at least one of said wheels, said motor also including a projecting rotatable shaft adapted to be rotated by said motor, a propeller means including a rotatable propeller shaft mounted on the top portion of said device, transmission means adapted to operatively connect said rotatable propeller shaft to the projecting rotatable shaft of said motor, at least one jumping means comprising a pair of elongated members having upper and lower leg portions pivotally mounted to each other at a central area to form an X and pivotally mounted to the chassis of said device so that the lower legs of said X are adapted to extend below the lower level of said wheels when said legs are pivoted together towards a vertical position, retractable means tending to pull the legs of said X together, catch means adapted to hold said legs apart so that the lower portions thereof are above the lower level of said wheels, means for releasing said catch means thereby causing said device to jump, means associated with said X-shaped jumping means adapted to disconnect the transmission means from the propeller shaft in at least one position of said X-shaped means.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1, in Which said retractable means comprises a spring.

3. The device as set forth in claim 1, in which said transmission means comprises a vertical shaft which is moved vertically into operative position with said propeller shaft by said X-shaped means when the legs of the latter are snapped together by the release of said catch means.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1 in which said means for releasing the catch means comprises a push button control cable which may be operated at a distance from the chassis of the device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,594,649 Trautmann Aug. 3, 1926 1,852,929 Hojnowski Apr. 5, 1932 2,570,584 Miskin Oct. 9, 1951 2,586,938 Gowland Feb. 26, 1952 

